MSV
1.-5.10. 2018

International Engineering Fair

Czechs want to introduce water made from the air at the EXPO exhibition in Dubai

EXPO 2020 will be the first
world exhibition in the region of the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa.
The central theme is "Bringing together ideas, creating the future".
The participation of the Czech Republic at the EXPO World Exhibition held in
Dubai, was the focus of a conference that took place at MSV in the Export
House. It was organized by the Office of the Commissioner General for the Czech
Republic's participation in Expo 2020.

The construction of the pavilion
itself will introduce the development of technology for water production from
the air using solar panels. This is the concept of Czech participation in this
exhibition. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek appointed Jiří
František Potužník General Director for the Dubai Expo, as he already chaired
the Czech representation at the World Exhibition in Milan and won the selection
process in the spring for the upcoming Expo.

Czech scientists will try
to complete a set of inventions so that the Czech Republic can build an oasis
in the desert of Dubai. This is an interesting idea, because in Dubai, water is
six times more expensive than petrol. Similar projects are being researched by
scientists at the University of California at Berkeley or in the Netherlands.
According to Potužník, the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) and the Academy of
Sciences of the Czech Republic will participate in the project. According to
the design, the pavilion should have the form of a giant umbrella, the roof of
which would be fitted with solar panels, at the same time shielding the ground
that would be irrigated by the water produced, thus helping to grow the moss to
cultivate the desert. Czech scientists are working with Israeli colleagues to
develop the moss.

The cost of the pavilion
and the exhibition is 250 million crowns, another dozens of millions could be
invested in the surroundings of the Czech building and the accompanying programmes.
" The project is worth 160 million crowns directly from the budget, 70
million remained from Milan as unspent savings that we would like to use, and
20 million will be acquired from private sources, just like in Milan,"
Potužník described the financial resources of the project. According to him,
the expenses of the state at world exhibitions are decreasing, since private
investors are successfully involved. Water was one of the key themes of the
Czech pavilion already in Milan. It was assembled from recyclable modules
produced by Koma Vizovice. Inside, visitors got to know the Czech Republic, its
regions and Czech achievements in science and modern technology.

According to Potužník,
if everything goes well, the system will not only be a presentation of Czech
know-how, but the patent should remain at CTU. "We hope that if it does,
it will be a solution for other regions from Afghanistan to South
America," Potužník added.

The preparation of the
Expo is also linked to the completion of several gigantic projects in the
Emirates that should be set up in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and are planned to be
completed before the opening of the exhibition. For example, the ‘Museum of the
Future: Always a step ahead’ that will stand near the Emirates Towers on the
main thoroughfare, Sheikh Zayed Road. The latest technology will be used to
build a progressive oval shape. Exhibits anticipating the future of science,
technology and innovation will be changed every six months to keep up with
changing trends. Another project, the Jewel of the Creek, will consist of
apartment buildings, office towers, luxury hotels and holiday or congress centres.
There will be also be a dance hall, shops and boat rentals. Thanks to its
location at the Creek Bay, buildings can be surrounded by a water body, which
is the longest swimming pool in the Middle East with its 400 metres. A
billion-dollar project comprising the three best rated hotels (Westin, St Regis
and W Dubai) is headed by the Westin hotel. The "city" will include a
park for the La Perle water show, designed by the Italian-Belgian theatre
director Franco Dragone, who works for example with Cirque du Soleil or with
the singer Céline Dion. We can also look forward to the first Bentley Café.

There will also be interesting artificial
islands of Deira. The four islands, called the "coastal city",
include an Arab bazaar in the night market style, an amphitheatre for 30 000
spectators, a port for large yachts and more hotel resorts. Another gigantic
project which will be implemented at the border between the Sharjah and Dubai Emirates
is called Al Mamzar Beachfront. The 53 acres of Al Mamzar Lake will be
surrounded by over 1 000 residences, 100 hotel rooms and 250 000 square meters
of shops. And how about the largest marina in the Middle East or a lighthouse
combined with a luxury hotel? All this is planned to be built in Dubai as part
of the Dubai Harbour project. Those who own a yacht will be able to
"park" in a port with 1 400 places – and those arriving by helicopter
will be able to use one of the three helipads. The biggest attraction is the
135-metre-high Dubai luxury hotel-styled lighthouse with a viewing platform and
a smooth façade that can be used as a projection screen for a film or a light
show.